Chicken Tortilla Soup

Okay so this might actually be the best recipe I have ever created! It has a lot of ingredients, but is super easy and one of the most delicious things I have ever tasted! It makes a pretty big batch, so you will have plenty of leftovers to enjoy!!!

Ingredients:
4 large tomatoes
2 poblano chilis (optional, 1 for less spicy)
1 1/2 onions
5 garlic cloves
4 corn tortillas
2 32oz containers chicken broth
2 chicken breasts
1 taco seasoning packet
2 cups frozen corn
1 cup monterey jack cheese
1 6 oz can tomato paste

Toppings:
Cheese
Avocado
Crushed Tortilla chips or homemade tortilla strips
Lime

Directions:
In a large skillet, char the tomatoes, onions with the skin, poblano peppers, and garlic with the skin for about 5 minutes on each side or until brown.  Don't worry if it gets very dark.  This is flavor!

Remove all of the vegetables and remove the skin of the onion and garlic.  Cut the vegetables up into smaller pieces.  A few cuts should do the trick.  No need to finely dice!  Put these in a large pot with 2 32 oz containers of chicken broth, half of the taco seasoning packet, and the tomato paste.  Stir and allow to cook on medium high heat for 45-50 minutes or until vegetables become very soft.  After about 30 minutes, chop up the 4 corn tortillas and put them into the soup! I know this sounds weird, but you are thickening the soup this way!

In another pot, put the chicken breasts and fill with water so that the chicken is just covered.  Stir in the second half of the taco seasoning packet.  Cook on medium heat for about 30 minutes, or until chicken becomes tender.  After 30 minutes, shred the chicken and put it back in the pot of seasoned water on medium low heated until needed.

In the same large skillet you charred the vegetables before, char the corn now.  Cook for about 5-7 minutes or until corn begins to turn brown.  Set aside.

After about 50 minutes of the vegetables cooking in the chicken broth stir to check for tenderness.  If they are tender, in small batches, blend them in the blender.  Once everything is blended, but it back in the pot and allow it to cook for another 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, not you can add your corn, shredded chicken, and one cup of monterey jack cheese.  Allow this to cook for another 20-25 minutes.

While the soup is cooking you can get your toppings ready.  Cheese is always great on the top.  I also like avocado! Don't forget to squeeze some lime on the avocado so it does not turn brown.

You can also crush up tortilla chips, but I made my own tortilla strips.  Slice a couple of corn tortillas into strips while a pot of hot oil is coming up to temperature.  About 375 degrees is a good temperature to fry at. Toss in the corn tortillas and cook for about 2-3 minutes or until golden.  Drain on a paper towel and season with salt as soon as they come out of the fryer.

Once the soup is ready, pour a big ladle full into a bowl and top with cheese, avocado, and those delicious tortilla strips! Enjoy!

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Cheeseburger Pie

I know this recipe sounds so bizarre but it is absolutely fabulous! It tastes exactly like a cheeseburger but is much less messy to eat! 

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1 cup chopped onion (about 1 large onion)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup Bisquick mix
1 cup milk
3 eggs

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Spray a 9 inch pie pan.

In a large skillet, cook the beef and the onion.  Break up the beef so there are small pieces.  Cook for about 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Beef should be completely browned and onions should be translucent.  Drain off any excess oil.  Stir in the salt and put in the pie plate.  Sprinkle the top with cheddar cheese.

In a large bowl, stir together the bisquick, milk, and the 3 eggs until they are fully incorporated and there are no lumps.  Slowly pour this over the top of the beef and cheese.  Bake in the oven for 25 minutes.  Serve hot and enjoy!

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Carmelized Onion and Bleu Cheese Crostini

Ingredients:
2 large onions
1 garlic clove
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 loaf of italian or french bread
1/2 cup diced pancetta
1/2 slivered almonds, toasted
2 tablespoons fresh parsley
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
salt
pepper
4 ounces bleu cheese

Directions:
Heat a large skillet on medium heat. Put the slivered almonds in for about 3 minutes or until they are toasted.  Then remove them and set them aside. 

Cook the pancetta for about 7-8 minutes or until it browns up.  Take the pancetta out with a slotted spoon, leaving the grease in the pan. 

Sprinkle in a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes.  Then add a chopped garlic clove.  Thinnly slice the two large onions and put into the pan.  Cook for 20-25 minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally until the onions turn golden colored.

While the onions carmelize, get the other ingredients ready.  Slice the bread thinnly on an angle and toast in a 350 degree for about 6 minutes.  Keep checking it in intervals of 2 minutes because ovens may vary. 

Now add the balsamic vinegar to the pan and stir.  Add back the pancetta.  Then stir in the chopped parsley. 

Once the bread it toasted, put the bread on a platter.  Then sprinkle with a few bleu cheese crumbles or a very thin slice of bleu cheese.  Top with a little of the onion and pancetta mixture.  Then sprinkle the top with a few toasted almonds.  Enjoy!

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Pot Roast

I am a huge fan of Disney World for many reasons, one being the food of course.  One of the restaurant, The Liberty Tree Tavern, has some of the most tender, juicy, flavorful pot roast you will ever eat.  I sought out to create a recipe that tasted just like it and here it is!

Ingredients:
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 pounds boneless beef shoulder roast
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2 cups large diced carrots
2 cups large diced celery
2 cups large diced onion
1/4 cup chopped garlic
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup Burgundy wine
6 cups beef broth

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat 1/4 cup oil in heavy pan and brown the meat on all sides. Make sure this pan can also go in the oven and is deep enough for a lot of liquid.  A dutch oven works best.
Remove the meat and add butter. After butter has melted, add carrots, celery, onion, garlic, and fresh thyme. Sauté until vegetables are tender. Stir in the flour, and continue cooking until everything is brown
Stir in Burgundy wine and beef broth. Add the meat back into the pan. Cover and bake for 40 minutes to 1 hour, or until meat is fork tender.

Here I have served my pot roast with mashed potatoes.  Enjoy!

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Bacon and Bleu Cheese Burger

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef (I used 80% lean to 20% fat)
1 cup bleu cheese
8 slices of bacon
4 hamburger rolls or buns
1 large onion
salt
pepper

Directions:
Slice the onion into very thin strips.  Put in a large skillet with the temperature on low.  In order to carmelize the onions the temperature needs to be low.  Putting it too high won't allow the sugars in the onions to fully carmelize.  Saute the onions in the pan for 20-25 minutes or until they become a golden color. 

Now form your ground beef into four patties.  Heat a grill pan or skillet on high.  Place the burgers in the pan and cook 7 minutes before flipping to the other side.

While the burgers are cooking cook the bacon.  I like to cook my bacon in the oven for about 10 minutes or until bacon is crisp.

Once burgers are flipped on the second side, top each burger with 2 slices of bacon each.  Then top with about 1/4 cup of bleu cheese on each one.  Allow to continue cooking for another 7 minutes with the bacon and cheese on top with a lid over the pan. 

Place each burger on top of the bun and top with the carmelized onions.  Enjoy!

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